Pre-“Daniel Boone Day” School Field Trip 2017

Ken — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:03:10 +0000

It was my privilege to set up my Cheyenne style teepee and present heritage and survival skills at the school field trip held the day before the annual “Daniel Boone Day” at Whippoorwill Academy And Village located in Ferguson North Carolina. In fact I was able to set up at the entrance area so that the teachers, students and volunteer parents could be welcomed by this cultural icon as they entered Whippoorwill Village grounds to begin their day of exploration and learning.

I arrived early to set up my equipment and in the process discovered some edibles on the grounds… some large puffball mushrooms and some garlic mustard plants. I was able to put these on display for the students to see later. I usually use a trash can lid inverted and placed on three rocks in which I build a campfire for the day. I can use this for multiple activities such as how to build a fire lay, how to suspend a can-turned-pot with which to boil water, and it adds a great atmosphere of campfire smoke aroma that spreads throughout the grounds.

There is a bamboo grove at the edge of the grounds which in the past has provided me with materials to make a bamboo pot that I had boiled bamboo shoots to eat in an earlier season. I was able to show the pot to the class and described how it was made and how water can be boiled in a wooden vessel in order to cook food.

I had various items spread out on a table to stimulate questions and give some hands-on learning opportunities. It was a pleasure to see inquisitive minds in action and with the help of the teachers we had an orderly and productive time. This was truly a brief but meaningful opportunity to impart knowledge of heritage and survival skills that may capture the thoughts of these students and may be a springboard to their pursuits of these important skills.

Teaching Classes At Turtle Island Preserve 2015

Ken — Sat, 25 Apr 2015 12:00:55 +0000

Hanging with my “celebrity” friends at Turtle Island Preserve

I recently had a break in my weekly schedule and I’ve learned that sometimes a change in routine can lead down a Divinely directed path. In this case I was invited to participate in a special field trip day at Turtle Island Preserve (TIP)attended by seventy-four 7th and 8th grade students and their teachers from Blowing Rock School. I was able to join TIP staff, interns, and volunteers in this event.

I arrived early enough to sit in on the morning briefing and at it’s conclusion we piled into a large “dump truck” to hitch a ride up the long gravel road to the entrance to meet the school buses. It was VERY bumpy but very memorable too. Once the students and teachers exited the buses we broke into smaller groups and hiked down the “ridge trail” to the base.

The first class of the day – great students!

After a short break I began teaching my first class. Initially we covered survival priorities and then talked about assessing situations and recognizing resources. I showed them my Every Day Carry (EDC) and was able to demonstrate some of it’s uses. I demonstrated how to build a “one match (or one ferro strike)” fire. This led to more firecraft techniques along with signaling, knapping, and “hobo” fishing.

I was very impressed with the attentiveness and polite manners of these kids and it was a pleasure to spend time with them. As the 8th graders will be graduating to a new school, we look forward to the return of the 7th grade class as 8th graders next year.

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Pre-“Daniel Boone Day” School Field Trip 2017

Teaching Classes At Turtle Island Preserve 2015